5 of the Best Boxing Combos for Intermediates

Boxing is a lot like playing music. For a beginner, it might seem impossible at first glance, but with a little patience, practice, and persistence, anyone can become a virtuoso.’

Watch professional boxers on TV and you’ll see them bobbing and weaving, striking and blocking, ducking and dipping, all while moving back and forth and orbiting their opponents in tight, careful circles. It’s a lot to keep track of!

Even the most complex song is still just made up an arrangement of simple notes and chords. Similarly, all of a professional boxer’s in-ring maneuvers are ultimately made up of small motions and movements.

If you take the time to learn and master the fundamentals of boxing, you can string them together into combos, gradually building up to more intricate combinations over time.

The Quiet Punch punch tracker is a great way to measure your progress. Once you’ve gotten the hang of boxing’s fundamentals, you can begin inching your way towards advanced strategies and tactics.

Today, we’re going to take a look at some intermediate boxing combos to practice to help you make the transition from beginner to pro.

A Quick Refresher on Boxing Punches

If you’ve been following the Quiet Punch blog, you might remember that a while back we ran you through the types of punches required to start building basic boxing combos. Before we start getting into our intermediate combos, let’s quickly recap the essentials.

In addition to having different names for specific types of punches, boxing also uses a numbering system as a form of shorthand. Below, we’ll list a few of the different kinds of punches along with their corresponding numbers.

1. Jab - A quick, straight punch thrown with the lead hand.
2. Cross - A more powerful punch thrown with the rear hand, which crosses the width of the body on its way to the target.
3. Lead Hook - A punch thrown with the lead hand at a hooked 90-degree angle.
4. Rear Hook - A punch thrown with the rear hand at a hooked 90-degree angle.
5. Lead Uppercut - A punch is thrown with the lead hand, coming from underneath and traveling along a vertical line toward the opponent’s chin or solar plexus.
6. Rear Uppercut - A punch is thrown with the rear hand, coming from underneath and traveling along a vertical line toward the opponent’s chin or solar plexus.

For intermediate boxing combos, there are two other important terms every boxer should know. First is the Slip, a defense technique wherein a fighter moves their head side-to-side in order to avoid an opponent’s strike, allowing the punch to “slip” past their head.

Second is the Roll, a defense technique wherein a fighter avoids or reduces the impact of an opponent’s strike by turning their body in the same direction, allowing the punch to “roll” over their shoulder.

Easy Boxing Combos to Practice for Intermediates

Jab, Jab, Cross

1, 1, 2

A good starter combo, this is a simple “fake out” technique in which you get your opponent used to one type of punch, only to follow up with a completely different one to catch them off-guard.

Jab, Cross, Slip, Cross

1, 2, Slip, 2

For the next combo, let’s integrate some defense. Following a jab with a cross is a very basic combo, and one that an experienced opponent will know to counter with a strike of their own. By planning for this, you can dodge the attack with a quick slip, then respond with an impactful cross.

Jab, Rear Uppercut, Lead Hook

1, 6, 3

If your opponent has more range than you, a good tactic is to close the distance between the two of you, eliminating their advantage. However, this also has the side effect of limiting your own offense, which is why it’s vital to make use of your entire arsenal. Open with a straight jab, then gett in close with a rear uppercut, before finishing with a strong lead hook.

Jab, Cross, Slip, Cross, Lead Hook, Roll

1, 2, Slip, 2, 3, Roll

Now we’re getting into the more advanced end of intermediate boxing combos. Again, it’s important to factor defense into your strategy. Building off the earlier “jab, cross, slip, cross” combo, stay on top of your opponent by following up with a lead hook, then anticipating their counter with a defensive roll.

Jab, Cross, Lead Uppercut, Lead Hook, Cross

1, 2, 5, 3, 2

A long chain of varying punches forgoing defense entirely, this final intermediate combo is for more aggressive fighters. Following the uppercut with a hook using the same hand is especially effective for surprising opponents, who will most likely be expecting a follow-up from the rear hand instead.

Build Bigger, Better Boxing Combos with the Quiet Punch

The combos listed above are some of the best boxing combos to practice for intermediates. The more you practice, the more adept you will be at memorizing combos, building longer combos, and intuitively chaining combos together to create a winning strategy.

Practice is an important part of improving as a fighter, but unless you’re lucky enough to have easy, regular access to a fully equipped boxing gym, it can be hard finding the time to get the practice you need to develop more advanced skills.

That’s why we created the Quiet Punch smart punching bag. Not only does its built-in sensor technology allow you to track the strength and speed of your punches, but the Quiet Punch’s durable, versatile, and easy-to-use design makes it a snap to set up, tear down, and take with you.

You can use the Quiet Punch anywhere that has a doorframe, whether that means in the comfort of your own home, at a friend’s house, in a hotel room, or even at work! Try it yourself today!